March « 2009 « Java Jim

March 23, 2009

Why the Gourmet Coffee Bean

Filed under: Ask An Expert — Tags: Sniffing Drugs, World Celebrity — Admin @ 2:11 am

This is the story of how the humble coffee becomes a world celebrity. It’s not about the Labrador named Coffee Beans attached to the Sheriff’s Department sniffing drugs and bombs. It’s about “the” coffee beans we are familiar with. It’s about the fragrant aroma that stimulates our senses in the morning. The tingling sensation we get when we take the first sip in the morning. How we manage to get an extra boost of energy whenever we feel tired and sleepy. Let us take some time to ponder the processes the coffee beans have to go through before it can be marketed.

Processing The Coffee Beans

After the coffee berries have been harvested, it needs to undergo a process where the flesh of the coffee berries is removed. The coffee berries are placed in special machines separating the flesh from the seed. This coffee seed is commonly called “coffee beans”. The coffee beans will now undergo a fermentation process for a period of time. This process is done in order to remove the slimy mucilage coating the coffee beans.

After the coffee beans have undergone the mandatory fermentation, they are thoroughly flushed with clean water. This process is to remove the foul smelling residue due to the fermentation process and the waste water is a main cause of pollutant.

The coffee beans are then dried under the sun or by machines, until the moisture level is about 10% before they can be packed for storage.

Another method of getting to the coffee beans without undergoing the fermentation process is to dry the whole berry in the sun. It normally takes about 10 to 14 days to complete the process with constant raking of the coffee beans to prevent mildew from forming. This method is popular and widely used by coffee producers where water is scarce. The dried flesh is then physically removed leaving only the coffee beans.

The dried coffee beans is then sorted and graded before they can be stored or shipped to buyers. At this stage, the coffee bean is called green coffee beans.

Sometimes the coffee beans will undergo an additional aging process. The reason for this is because when coffee was first introduced into Europe, the coffee beans have undergone a journey of about six months. Europeans have already developed a preference for this taste and therefore to simulate the taste, the coffee beans are further aged.

Roasting The Coffee Beans

Roasting is the final process the coffee beans have to undergo before they are commercially marketed. It is also possible to purchase un-roasted coffee beans that you can personally roast them yourself.

When the coffee beans are subjected to heat, there’s a chemical reaction happening within the coffee beans where the sugar and acid will begin to react releasing its aroma. The coffee beans will turn darker due to caramelized sucrose. When this happens, the coffee beans are quickly cooled to prevent damage to the coffee beans.

When roasting the green coffee beans, a lot of carbon dioxide is released as a by-product. The carbon dioxide helps to “seal” the coffee beans from loosing its flavor and aroma. Depending on how the coffee beans are stored, it may take some time before the optimum peak flavor. After reaching its peak, it will start loosing its flavor again.

If you are trying to roast your own coffee beans at home, be aware that you may not be successful during the first few times. You might over-burn your coffee beans during your first few tries. Never be discouraged, but try until you get the taste and flavor that appeals to you. Remember to process in small amounts to maintain freshness of your coffee.

Grinding The Coffee Beans

Before the roasted coffee beans can be used, you need to grind the coffee beans first. The coarseness of your coffee depends on your preference and the type of coffee-brewing method. It can range from coarse to very fine as in the Turkish grind. For example, if you’re using a percolator, a course coffee powder is suitable but if you are using an Espresso machines, an extra fine coffee powder is required.

Conclusion

The coffee beans have to undergo a string of processes before it can be consumed. The final flavor of the coffee depends on the journey the coffee beans take in order to reach its final form. Different methods and different techniques will give rise to a varied coffee flavor. This is the reason why there are so many flavors to the simple coffee bean.

By: boake moore

About the Author:

Boake” Moore is an IT Sales engineer by trade and founded a non profit coffee company called Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee -http://www.missiongrounds.com/ourphilosophy.php It donates all its profits and proceeds to helping orphans and impoverished children. We currently are building schools in rural China, orphanages in South America; supporting orphans in Russia and Africa. And helping homeless children in the United States.
Lets make the world better -

George “Boake” Moore

Mission Grounds

http://www.missiongrounds.com

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March 22, 2009

Information On The History Of Coffee

Filed under: Food And Beverage — Tags: Berries, Italian Traders — Admin @ 4:50 pm

The history of coffee is long and varied, full of intrigue and excitement. There are a couple of different legends about how coffee was discovered. One says that a shepherd discovered coffee after observing his sheep getting very active after eating the berries off of certain plants. He tried them, and felt the same boost of energy. The story goes that a passing monk observed this, and scolded the shepherd for eating of the “devil’s fruit.” The monks soon found out, however, that the berries would help them remain awake during prayers.

Another legend tells the tale of an Arab, banished to the desert with his followers. Facing starvation, they boiled and ate the berries of a plant they stumbled across. The broth saved the starving exiles, and the nearby town, Mocha, took it as a sign from above. They called the plant and its drink Mocha, in honor of the town. A short history of coffee is as follows…

The coffee plant, Coffea arabica, is native to Ethiopia. Ancient Ethiopians used the coffee beans rolled in animal fat as food. From Ethiopia, coffee made its way to Yemen, where it was first brewed into a beverage. Once coffee was transported to Arabia, however, it was monopolized by the Arabs, who forbade the seeds to be exported. Once seeds were smuggled out, however, coffee was spread to India and Turkey. From there, coffee began to pursue world domination.

By 1600, coffee had been discovered by Italian traders. The Pope, urged by his advisors to ban the drink as evil, tasted it, and baptized it instead, introducing coffee to the Christian population. Captain John Smith brought coffee as part of his supplies to the New World in 1607, and is thought to be the man who introduced coffee to North America.

By 1652, coffee houses started sprouting up in England, and became the place for both learned and the general population to gather. They were dubbed penny universities, since everyone talked over their cups of coffee, which each cost a penny. In 1674, the British “Women’s Petition Against Coffee” was published, declaring that coffee was depriving them of their husbands and causing impotence.

The Dutch are responsible for smuggling coffee out of Arabia in 1690, and introducing it to Java and Ceylon. They became the first people to cultivate coffee commercially, thus creating what would become the world’s largest agricultural commodity.

In 1713, the Dutch unwittingly gave King Louis XIV of France a coffee plant. In 1723, a French naval officer stole a cutting, taking it all the way to Martinique. In fifty years, Martinique was growing over 19 million coffee trees.

In 1727, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta visited French Guiana, to settle a dispute between the French and the Dutch. He and the Governor’s wife became involved, and although the French took great care to control its coffee plantations in the New World, he slipped off with seeds and cuttings when he left. His paramour sent him on his way with a bouquet of flowers… concealing the smuggled coffee cuttings. He took them to Brazil, who today is the world’s largest coffee producing nation.

And so it continued. Coffee became America’s patriotic drink after the Boston Tea Party. Coffee production has grown exponentially. The history of coffee is like no other… and will probably continue to expand.

By: Best Coffee Maker

About the Author:

Administrator of Coffee Information a site containing information on many, many types of Coffee Information.

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March 11, 2009

Differences in One-cup Coffee Makers

Filed under: Coffee — Tags: Coffe, Coffee Mug — Admin @ 4:38 am

For many years, coffee makers were just that. They would brew a pot of coffee, which was then poured into several different cups. However, in recent years, there have been advancements in coffee makers, and the most popular new type of coffee makers is one cup coffee makers. Not surprisingly, these coffee makers make one cup of coffee at a time. These machines are very popular because many people enjoy being able to make one cup of coffee at a time. There are several different types of one cup coffee makers out there on the market today.

One of the initial advances one-cup coffee makers offered were smaller coffee pots, which saved time and unused coffee grounds. These smaller coffee pots only hold enough water for one cup of coffee at a time. An individual would add a spoonful of coffee, and wait a few moments for the pot to percolate. This allows a person to make only one cup at a time.

However, there are many more advancements one-cup coffee makers have to offer than just smaller decanters. One of the biggest challenges was that it was often difficult to measure out the amount of coffee needed for one cup of coffee. Due to this difficulty, the pod type coffee makers were born. The pod coffee makers were a way for people to have one cup of coffee, and not have to worry about deciding how much coffee to put in their one cup coffee makers.

With a pod coffee maker, a person puts in enough water to have one cup of coffee. Then, instead of putting loose coffee into the coffee maker, a pod is put there instead. The pod is constructed out of coffee-filter material, with the pre-measured coffee inside of it. The pod is placed into the coffee pot; hot water is run through it, creating the perfect cup of coffee.

There are also one-cup coffee makers that make coffee directly into the mug. These coffee makers use portioned packets or pods to have just the right amount of coffee grounds. The mug is part of the coffee maker itself. Hot water is poured into the coffee maker, and the coffee is percolated directly into specially made mugs that attach to the coffee maker. These coffee pots are very easy to use and very convenient. However, if the coffee mug is lost or broken, the entire coffee pot cannot be used. Some of the brands have replacement coffee mugs that can be purchased.

There are many reasons that a person might want to use a one-cup coffee maker. With the pods and portioned packets, a person can choose one single type of coffee each day. A husband can have one type of coffee while a wife has another type of coffee. Also, a person can have only one cup of coffee at a time. Many people prefer this because they do not have to wait for an entire pot of coffee to brew. Usually, one cup coffee makers brew the coffee in a matter of minutes.

The revolution of one cup coffee makers has led to an influx in the coffee market in general. In the past, flavored coffees and specialty coffees were not sold as much because people did not want to make entire pots of different coffees.

However, with the advent of the one-cup coffee makers, specialty coffee brands are introducing new products all the time. Different flavors can be alternated with little effort, and this feature is one that many individuals greatly prefer. Some people enjoy one-cup coffee makers because it allows them to experiment with different kinds of coffee without purchasing a whole bag of coffee grounds. Also, if they do not like the flavor, a one-cup coffee maker does not create too much waste. The common perception is that people are more likely to try various kinds of coffee when they only have to try one cup at a time. In this environmentally conscious world, this thought process makes perfect sense. Also, a person is much more likely to try out different types of coffees if they can purchase variety packs of many different types to use in their one cup coffee makers.

As with many other popular products, there is an evolution in how a product is brought to the consumer. In this case, less is certainly more, and coffee-lovers everywhere are enjoying this advancement one cup at a time.

By: Stephanie Larkin

About the Author:

About Author:
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to the food and beverage industry such as Keurig | Keurig K Cup

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March 9, 2009

Information On Java Coffee

Filed under: Food And Beverage — Tags: Coffee Farms, Coffee Plants — Admin @ 2:19 pm

Java coffee… it sounds a bit redundant, doesn’t it? Many people call coffee java, just like they may say they want a cup of joe. In reality, Java coffee refers to coffee grown on the island of Java, the largest island in Indonesia. Java coffee was so popular and was exported around the world, that many Americans just used the term ‘java’ as slang to mean coffee in general. And there is good reason for that.

The history of Java coffee is a long one. The Dutch brought coffee to Java in the 17th century, and it has been a major export for Indonesia ever since. They planted Arabica beans, but a coffee rust plague wiped many of the coffee plants out in the 1800s. The Dutch replaced them with Liberica beans, which while hardier, did not please the palate as much. Most of the beans grown in Java today are of the Robusta and Arabica variety.

Java coffee has a distinctive flavor that true coffee aficionados revere… it is known to be strong, spicy and sweet. The specific growing conditions on the island of Java create the flavor of the coffee beans grown there, and while they share similarities with coffee grown in other places, they have differences too. Coffee flourishes at an altitude between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in Java, with the majority of it being grown on a plateau around 4,500 feet. The coffee plants really thrive in the volcanic soil, which is rich in nutrients, and provides good drainage to the roots.

Even the area in Java influences the coffee… the most sought after Java coffee comes from the far eastern side of the island, near the Ijen volcano complex. There are four main coffee farms in this area, all started originally by the Dutch hundreds of years ago. These farms are now run by the Indonesian government, and they grow 85% of the coffee on Java.

Java coffee is wet processed, with the beans being pulped immediately after harvest, then washed. The beans are dried and rested for many weeks before being sorted and sent to the roasters. In fact, one variety of coffee, known as Old Java or Old Brown, is aged for two to three years. Java coffee beans are often added with others from different areas of the world to create unique blends. Java coffee beans produce a rich coffee with chocolate undertones, and when paired with Mocha, creates the ever-popular Mocha-Java blend.

Coffee has become part of Java’s culture as well as a primary agricultural product. Visitors are handed a cup of coffee in homes before they even ask for one. It is part of the fabric of everyday life in Java. So, if you have a cup of Java coffee, you may be inclined to spare a thought to the long history and culture that lies behind those beans that lent their flavor to that dark liquid you are enjoying. Java coffee is one of the world’s most famous brews, and will continue to be for a long time.

By: Best Coffee Maker

About the Author:

Administrator of Coffee Information a site containing information on many, many types of Coffee Information.

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